Second Chances
by joeylovesdawson
Summary: Joey comes back to Capeside 1 1/2 years after the finale, and takes a closer look at her life.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: This takes place a year and a half after the series finale. That's about all I'm going to say for now. I hope you like it!  
  
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(Cut to Joey laying in bed, asleep. A man's next to her, but surprisingly, it's neither Dawson nor Pacey. In fact, it's someone we've never even heard of before, let alone met. Joey's just starting to wake up, and the man's just looking at her, stroking her hair.)  
  
MAN: Morning.  
  
JOEY: (smiles and rolls over, facing him) Hey.  
  
MAN: Sleep good?  
  
JOEY: (nods, and gazes at her hand, her left hand to be exact, where a diamond ring has been placed) Yeah.  
  
MAN: (smiles) You like it?  
  
JOEY: Of course, Ryan, I love it. I'm still a bit shocked though, I do have to say.  
  
(They kiss for a bit, then Joey breaks it.)  
  
JOEY: Listen, I was thinking.  
  
RYAN: Uh oh.  
  
JOEY: (smiles) It's not bad-just hear me out. Anyways, I thought I'd go back to Capeside,  
  
RYAN: (looks at her confusedly) Capeside?  
  
JOEY: Where I used to live. I thought it'd be best to tell everyone in person. I haven't seen any of my friends, or my family in awhile, so this will be a surprise. They really don't even know about you, I guess we've all just been so busy, and-  
  
RYAN: (smiles) Great. I'll come with.  
  
JOEY: That's the thing. It might be best if I went alone, you can meet them another time. I'll be gone for about a week, I'll just call the office and inform them. I can take my work with me, anyways.  
  
RYAN: I'll miss you, Jo.  
  
JOEY: I'll miss you too, but I need to do this. Believe me, I'd take you with if I could but, well it's just that I have a lot of unsettled business there. Nothing to worry about, just a few things I never really took care of.  
  
RYAN: Alright. (kisses her) I trust you.  
  
JOEY: (smiles) Great. Don't find someone new while I'm gone.  
  
RYAN: I won't. And don't you find one of your old boyfriends to hook up with (smiles).  
  
JOEY: I won't.  
  
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(Cut to Joey, paying a cab driver. She's in front of the B & B, and is now just walking in. She slips off her ring, and puts it in her purse.)  
  
JOEY: (walks up to the front desk, and taps on the bell) Hello?  
  
BESSIE: (is just coming out, and still has her head down) Hello, welcome to Potte- (she looks up) Joey! (gives her a hug)  
  
JOEY: (smiles) Bess, you look great!  
  
BESSIE: Look who's talking! So what's the occasion?  
  
JOEY: Must I have an excuse to visit my favorite sister?  
  
BESSIE: (smiles) No, but after not seeing you in over a year, having you just mysteriously, pop up, is a surprise. Makes me wonder what you're hear for.  
  
JOEY: Only to be graced by your presence, Bessie.  
  
BESSIE: I see you haven't changed much since last I saw you, huh?  
  
JOEY: (shakes her head) Nope, I'm just.me.  
  
BESSIE: So, (sits down on a chair) Any news?  
  
JOEY: (sits on the couch) No, not really. Works busy.  
  
BESSIE: As usual.  
  
JOEY: So what about you?  
  
BESSIE: Not much. Dawson's moved back. He's making this documentary, the guys a genius. And Pacey, he's doing great down at the Icehouse. The place looks fantastic as ever, and he's a very successful businessman, even more so then from when you last saw him.  
  
JOEY: (smiles) I'm glad to hear that, about both of them.  
  
BESSIE: And that little girl of Jen's, she's cute as ever. She came over here the other day with a handful of dandelions for me. Such a sweetie. Makes me wish Alexander were that age again.  
  
JOEY: How is he?  
  
BESSIE: Busy. Basketball, baseball, football, soccer-you name a sport, he plays it.  
  
JOEY: I've been meaning to come see you, you know, but.  
  
BESSIE: (quietly) I understand.  
  
JOEY: Thanks, Bess. I'm actually a bit tired, you think you could spare a room for me?  
  
BESSIE: Oh, I suppose. (smiles)  
  
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(Cut to the next morning. The clock on the nightstand reads 9:00, and sun is pouring in the window. Joey is still sleeping, and looks happy.)  
  
BESSIE: (comes in) Rise and shine! (shakes Joey) It's like you're in high school all over again.  
  
JOEY: (opens her eyes) Hey Bess. Still against letting me sleep in?  
  
BESSIE: Hardly. It's 9:00! I'd have you up at 6 helping me, but no. Bodie insisted I let you sleep. You're lucky he goes easy on you, Jo.  
  
JOEY: (smiles and sits up) Somebody has to.  
  
BESSIE: (smiles) Get dressed and come out. We've got company.  
  
JOEY: Who?  
  
BESSIE: (raises an eyebrow) I guess you'll just have to get dressed and come see. (leaves her room, shutting the door behind her)  
  
(Joey sighs and gets up, looking for something to wear.)  
  
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(Cut to the kitchen, where Bessie, Bodie, Alexander, and Pacey are sitting at the counter, all laughing about something.)  
  
PACEY: That story makes me laugh every time, Bodie. A classic Joey tale.  
  
JOEY: (comes out) Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners Pacey? It's rude to talk about people behind their backs.  
  
PACEY: (turns around, facing her) Well look what we have here.  
  
JOEY: Is that what kind of greeting I get?  
  
PACEY: Looks like it.  
  
JOEY: (smiles and hugs him)  
  
BODIE: Hey Joey.  
  
JOEY: Bodie! Thanks for cutting me some slack.  
  
BODIE: (hugs her) Well we all know Bess wouldn't do that.  
  
ALEXANDER: (Whispers) Don't worry Jo, mom never lets me get away with anything either.  
  
JOEY: (laughs, and whispers back) I see things haven't changed.  
  
PACEY: Well, I better get back to work. Make sure everyone's doing their job.  
  
JOEY: So you make your employees work, but you don't have to? (smiles)  
  
PACEY: One of the many joys of being the boss.  
  
JOEY: (laughs) I think I'll go with you. I missed breakfast it looks like.  
  
BESSIE: By about two hours!  
  
PACEY: (smiles) Well I'm sure we can scrape something up for you.  
  
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(cut to Pacey and Joey walking to the Icehouse)  
  
PACEY: We've all missed you.  
  
JOEY: Who's 'we all' specifically?  
  
PACEY: Me, Dawson, Jack, Grams, Doug, everyone, basically.  
  
JOEY: Well in that case I've missed you all too.  
  
DAWSON: Joey!  
  
JOEY: (turns around and smiles) Dawson! (runs over and hugs him)  
  
DAWSON: Hey, why didn't you tell me you were coming?  
  
JOEY: I didn't tell anyone, actually. Just a spur of the moment thing. I needed to get away for a bit.  
  
(Dawson and Pacey look at each other, confused)  
  
DAWSON: Oh.  
  
PACEY: Listen, we're headed to the Icehouse, you want to come?  
  
DAWSON: Sure.  
  
JOEY: (takes each of their hands) Great.  
  
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A/N: So what do you think so far? Reviews are deeply appreciated! 


	2. Second Thoughts

(At the Icehouse. Dawson, Joey, and Pacey are all eating at a table.)  
  
DAWSON: So Jo, what about you, any significant other in your life?  
  
JOEY: (hesitates) Yeah.  
  
(Both Pacey and Dawson look surprised)  
  
PACEY: Wow. Well come on, give us the dirt.  
  
JOEY: His names Ryan. We're engaged.  
  
DAWSON: Where's your ring?  
  
JOEY: You really are observant. (She pulls it out of her purse and puts it on) Here.  
  
PACEY: I know you won't want to hear this, but it's weird that we didn't hear about this sooner.  
  
(Dawson nods)  
  
JOEY: Well, I'm stuffed. Thanks, Pace. See you guys later. (she takes off)  
  
DAWSON: (watches her go) Something's up.  
  
PACEY: No, you think?  
  
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(Joey's walking, and Dawson is running to catch up to her.)  
  
DAWSON-Jo, wait!  
  
JOEY: What?  
  
DAWSON: You don't love him do you?  
  
JOEY: W-well of course I do.  
  
DAWSON: But you don't want to marry him.  
  
JOEY: I do. I really do.  
  
DAWSON: (shrugs) Just sounds to me like you're only trying to convince yourself when you say that.  
  
(Joey starts walking ahead of him)  
  
JOEY: Well you're wrong!  
  
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(Joey walks in the B & B)  
  
BESSIE: Hey there.  
  
(Joey has a scowl on her face, and plops down onto the couch.)  
  
BESSIE: You're fiancée called. I was surprised. I said "No, you must have the wrong number. My little sister would surely tell me if she were seeing someone, let alone engaged!"  
  
JOEY: Bess, I don't want to talk about it.  
  
BESSIE: I do.  
  
JOEY: I came here to tell you. (shows her the ring)  
  
BESSIE: Funny that you conveniently didn't have it on last night. I would think that if you were ready to marry him you would have.  
  
JOEY: (angrily) Now you sound like Dawson! All this analysis bull.  
  
BESSIE: Joey, I just don't want you to make a mistake.  
  
(They sit in silence for a bit, then finally Bessie gets up and starts to leave the room.)  
  
JOEY: (quietly) I already have.  
  
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(Dawson's at his new house, in bed, watching TV.)  
  
JOEY: (climbs through the window) I think I'm getting too old for this.  
  
DAWSON: (smiles) Jo! I'm sorry about what I said.  
  
JOEY: No, don't be. What you said-it made me think. It made me question my life. I don't want to marry him. I love him, but I'm not in love with him. It would be unfair to marry him when I'm in love with someone else.  
  
DAWSON: (dryly) Pacey?  
  
JOEY: (shakes her head) The attraction with Pacey was that he's rebellious, he does things I'd never do. It was all one big adrenaline rush.  
  
DAWSON: So I don't do that for you?  
  
JOEY: Just, let me finish. It was fun with Pacey while it lasted, and yes, I have loved him ever since we broke up. But I realized that I'm in a place in my life where I'm ready to be settled, sturdy. And Pacey won't work into that equation. I love him too, but it's turned into a different type of love. But you, Dawson, I know now that you're what I've wanted the whole time. There's something between us, something I can't attempt to understand or explain, but I do know that it's right. It's exciting to be with you, but in a different way. It's exciting because of the way things feel, how they seem so right. All my problems disappear when you're around. You just have this way of always making me feel better, you always have, always will. And it's you, more than anyone that I want to be with, that is if you still feel the same way. I understand if you don't though, after all I've put you through.  
  
DAWSON: Are you finished?  
  
(Joey nods)  
  
DAWSON: I feel the same way you do. And if you're honestly serious about us I want to give it another chance.  
  
JOEY: I am. It's scary to admit this, but I am.  
  
DAWSON: (smiles) Could you do me a huge favor? Call Ryan. I don't want to feel guilty about him.  
  
JOEY: (smiles) Alright.  
  
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A/N: I know this was short, and I'm sorry. I hope it was good though. 


End file.
